


Seven Songs

by Quillori



Category: Ancient Egyptian Religion, Mythology - Egyptian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-23
Updated: 2007-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-25 04:13:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1630901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quillori/pseuds/Quillori
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Horus, having overcome Set and bound him, has unwisely asked his mother Isis, Set's sister, to guard him. Set has strong views on the value of brotherly love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seven Songs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kantayra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kantayra/gifts).



> Out of a number of useful sources, I feel I should in particular express my thanks to Richard H. Wilkinson and E.A. Wallis Budge (for the prose style!) and my especial debt to John L. Foster, whose various translations of Egyptian hymns and lyric poetry provided invaluable help, both in creating a convincing tone and in providing examples of authentic imagery.

 

 

**The Song of Sisterly Love**

_On the 26th day of the month Thoth, bound Set opened his mouth to his sister and spoke:_

Now hear my words, my sister, hear what I have to say. Let your ear be filled with good counsel, let your heart feed on my words. I am your brother, flesh of your flesh, sharing one nature with you. When you lay down with your husband, you embraced your brother. When you walked with your companion, you embraced your sister. Am I not as dear to you as your husband? Am I not as dear to you as your sister? As you have embraced your husband, as you have embraced your sister, so you must embrace me.

Now hear my words, my sister. Your brother is cut down and cries to you. He is wounded in the thigh and cries out your name. Hear my words, my sister, and comfort his distress. 

Your brother is bound and humbled; he lies in the mud. He is wounded and cannot rise; he is bound up and cannot be healed. Hear his cries, my sister, and comfort his distress.

I appeal to you, my lady, my sister.  
I appeal to you, Lady of Shelter.  
I appeal to you, my lady, my sister.  
I appeal to you, Lady of the House of Life.

I appeal to you, Great Lady of the Words of Power, remember how we were. We ate bread together. We drank milk together. In our father's house we lived together. Am I not dearer to you than a son? 

In our father's house we played ball together. We were in one boat on the broad waters. Together we listened to the shrill flute. Am I not dearer to you than your son?

We were always together, we four. Your husband was first among us, and we loved him. Your husband, our brother, was beloved of us all. 

Now hear my words, my sister. I am dearer to you than your son. I am as dear to you as your sister, as your husband. We are all of one flesh. 

For the love that you bear your sister, for the love that you bore your brother, you will release me. As our sister, my wife, mourns Osiris, our brother, so you would mourn me. As you, my sister, mourn Osiris, our brother, so you would mourn me. For the sake of my wife, our sister, you will release me. Because I am your brother, your sister's husband, you will release me. I will be released by you for the sake of our brother, our sister, for the sake of the love we bear each other.

Loosen me, O my sister, from my bonds; I am your brother.  
Let me rise up, O wife of my brother, grasp my hand and raise me up.  
Loosen me, O my sister, for the sake of our love.  
Let me rise up, O wife of my brother, wife of the Splendid One.

As Nephthys grieves for Osiris, the Everlasting, the Lord, as she grieves for him and will not be comforted, so shall my sister find no comfort in my death. As you grieve for Osiris, the Eternal One, the Golden, as you grieve for him and will not be comforted, so shall my sister find no comfort from my death. As we grieve for Osiris, the Beloved, the Victorious, as we grieve for him and can find no comfort, so shall there be no comfort from my death.

I shall not be put to death.  
I shall not be put to suffering.  
I shall not see my enemy victorious.  
My sister will raise me up.

My sister, the Shining Goddess, will take my hand and lead me to the clear water, to purify my body. My sister, the Mistress of Heaven, will heal my wounds; with her words of power she will heal my wounds. My sister will tend to my body on a bed of fine linen, she will anoint my body with oil; yes, she will anoint me with myrrh. I shall rise up from my bonds, I shall rise up and be strong. My sister shall raise me; she will be praised in her love as a sister.

**The Song of Nephthys and Isis**

_On the 26th day of the month Thoth, bound Set opened his mouth to his sister and spoke again:_

Take in my words, my sister, and I will tell you how it went when Nephthys came to you, when Nephthys and Isis walked together. I will tell you how it went when Isis cried out for Osiris, for her beloved husband Osiris, for her brother.

> What has become of you, my lover, beloved? What has become of you, my husband, my brother? I have searched for you everywhere. You are not in the red desert or in the muddy Nile. You are not to be found in heaven or in the habitations of men. I have searched for you and I cannot find you anywhere. I have searched for you and you are gone. Set hides you from me.
> 
> I have listened for your voice again and again. I loved the sound of your voice speaking to me. Where can I hear your gentle words again? They are gone as though they had never been.
> 
> I have looked for your golden body. When I could gaze upon you I was enraptured; my eyes were bright with your countenance. I want to worship you again with my eyes. But the sight of you is gone as though it had never been.
> 
> Where have you gone, my lover, my husband? Where have you gone, my beloved, my brother? My heart begs you to return; I long for you. But you are gone as if you had never been.
> 
> I remember when we were together. When you returned to our house I would pour water over your hands, I would offer you bread and dates. When you were in our house, I wore my tunic loosened, I glanced at you with come-hither eyes. My heart drew near to you and you embraced me. I am still on fire for you, but when I reach for you the bed is cold. It is as if you had never been.

Then Nephthys, Lady of the House, opened her mouth in lament for her brother.

> What has become of you, my lover, my brother? I remember your voice was soft to me, your eyes were kind. I remember you were like water to my thirst, like sweet fruit to my mouth. You were without peer, lovely above all things.
> 
> I lay awake at night and longed to hear your voice. I turned in my bed and longed to see you. All night I was sleepless with longing for your golden body. 
> 
> Why have you abandoned me? I have set myself out for your pleasure, and you have left me alone. Without you I have no rest, I am consumed with longing.

Isis, the August Goddess, gave herself up to her grief. She tore her hair; she tore her dress. In no way could she be consoled from her grief. Her voice was like the cry of the kite in the desert.

Nephthys opened her mouth to Isis, to her sister, that she might be comforted and remain in the light of the sun.

> Your heart is weary.
> 
> Put weariness from your heart. Look to the health of your body. Bind up your hair, scent it with myrrh. Grind malachite and paint your dark eyes. Tint your lips, perfect as a lotus bud. Tint your slim fingers with henna and put all weariness away.
> 
> Your heart is heavy with grief.
> 
> Put grief from your heart. Clothe your golden body in fine linen, dress yourself in white. Put resin on your head and call for the pipe and the rattle. Order music to be played and put all grief away.
> 
> Your heart suffers harm.
> 
> Put harm from your heart. Remember your sister is here, your sister who loves you. Embraced in my arms you will be safe, you may rest in my embrace. Remember my love in your heart and put all harm away.
> 
> Put strength in you heart. You are the Mistress of the Word of God, the Lady of Life. You have power even over Ra himself; you know the secret names of things. Let your heart be strong in your knowledge; let your heart be strong in my love.
> 
> There is no point to your grief, Osiris will not hear it.  
>  There is no point to your sorrow, Osiris will not know it.  
>  The grave makes Osiris deaf, he will not hear your grief.  
>  The grave makes Osiris dumb, he will not comfort your distress.  
>  You cannot save our brother from the grave. 

**The Song of Nephthys and Osiris**

_On the 26th day of the month Thoth, bound Set opened his mouth to his sister and spoke again:_

Hear my words, my sister, listen and I will tell you how it was when Nephthys came to Osiris, Splendid in His Strength, and they embraced.

Nephthys, my sister, my wife, flesh of my flesh, she came to Osiris, the Golden One, the Beloved. She opened her mouth to her brother and spoke:

> I love you through the day and into the dark, through the hours of the night, through the night watches. The stars of the northern sky wheel above me; I am dizzy with longing. The white dawn appears; I am awake, sick with your love.
> 
> I have no rest when you are not set before my eyes; I speak your name in my heart. Let my eyes gaze upon you, turn your face towards me. The scent of your skin is better than mandrake; there is no other cure for my sickness. 
> 
> You are without peer, lovely above all lovely things, splendid with all splendour. The breath of my mouth is wasted in sighing for you; the breath of my mouth is used in your praise. When the gods see you, they are struck by your beauty; when the spirits see you, they fall at your feet. 
> 
> Stretch out your arms to me, my brother, my love. Encircle me with your arms, embrace me. My heart begs you to come to me.
> 
> Your hair is blue as the reeds. Let me go gathering reeds by the river, let me tangle my fingers in their roots. The line of your neck is long and smooth, graceful and strong as a tree. Let me go climbing trees, and pluck the fruit of your mouth. Your arms are slim and strong; bear me away in you arms. The curve of your back is treacherous, a sand dune under unwary feet. A man who goes unwarily slips and cannot recover his feet, eyes that gaze unwarily slip down the line of your back. Your fingers are gentle, they move soft as the wind brushing the lotus. You are lovely when you move, your step is pleasing to the eye. As you walk, I catch the scent of cinnamon and myrrh. Your tunic caresses you, it loves to touch your body. Wear for me your sheerest linen so that I may see the colour of your skin.
> 
> You are altogether lovely. Put kindness in your heart, my brother. Take in the cry of one who longs for you, take in their cry of longing. 

Nephthys, my sister, my wife, blood of my blood, she came to Osiris, the Splendid, the Golden. She opened her mouth to her brother and spoke:

> I have prepared my body for you. I bathed in cool water, in water scented with nard. I bound my hair with fillets, I arranged it for you with care. I am wearing only what you see, look how it clings to my body. Your presence is the heat of summer: when you come near me, even this tunic is too much to bear. You stand so close I cannot bear it, I am weighed down by the heat of your body. As a man lies on the roof in summer, running with sweat, too languid to move, so am I in your presence.
> 
> I have prepared my house for you. The wood on the floor is smooth, the copper doors gleam. Everything is decorated with gold. The ceiling is blue with lapis lazuli, the hangings flutter in the breeze. See, the doors stand open. Give in to my desire and enter.
> 
> I have prepared a welcome for you. I will give you a pitcher of milk to drink, I will feed you with warm bread. I have ordered musicians to come. They will bring the shrill flute, they will bring the soft pipes and the insistent rattle, and I myself will sing to the mellifluous lyre. You may lie back in comfort and I will serve you, I will devote myself to your pleasure.

Nephthys, my sister, my wife, soul of my soul, she came to Osiris, the Upright, the Living. She opened her mouth to her brother and spoke:

> Lover, beloved. I am drunk on your love as on pomegranate wine, my face is flushed. I lean against your body and my heart pounds louder than a drum. Hold me up, my lover, my brother, let me cling to you as vines cling to the stake, as weeds entangle the oar. I lie against your body and have no more strength to fight; do not despise my weakness, O my brother, I have been undone by desire.

Nephthys, my sister, my soul, spoke these words to Osiris, safe in his embrace. All things were well for her in his arms. All things were well for her in his bed.

**The Song of the Power of Set**

_On the 26th day of the month Thoth, bound Set opened his mouth to his sister and spoke again:_

Listen to my words, my sister, hear while I speak to you of my power. Listen to my words, my sister, hear while I speak to you of Set in the desert. I stride over the earth, I walk in the red land of death. I am in the barren places, in the sands of the desert. I know where the scorpions hide, I know where the jackals run. I am the howl of the dry wind and the dark of the sandstorm. I can rip the flesh from your silver bones. 

Listen to my words, my sister, hear while I speak to you of Set in the storm. I sail over the white waves, I walk upon the flood. From the height of the sky I summon the wind, from the depth of the sea I raise up the waves. The green sea is wild with my passing, the sky grows dark. I set loose the storm; seven-headed Yam comes forth at my command.

Listen to my words, my sister, hear while I speak to you of Set conquering Apophis. My harpoon sinks deep, the great enemy has fallen. I pierce him, I cut him, I drive him back from the face of Ra. I hack his body, I break his bones, his blood stains the sky red. I am the scourge of the gods, it is my strength that protects them. My place is honoured, I destroy our enemies.

**The Song of the Invocations of Set**

_On the 26th day of the month Thoth, bound Set opened his mouth to his sister and spoke again:_

Now hear these words, my sister, hear my followers invoke me.

Men look up in wonder. The stars fall from the sky, they bear the metal of heaven down to the earth. I am there in the dark, and the fire, and the meteoric iron.

The coppersmith at his kiln prays to me for skill. I am the lord of metals. With cramped fingers he grasps his tools and praises me for useful copper.

Labourers cry out to me for night. They do not love Horus the Shining, they do not love the day. With hoarse voices the labourers moan my name; with arms like lead, they long for the night.

The scribe on an embassy is in my keeping. He travels to a foreign place, he leaves the safety of the two lands. Passing through the desert he leaves his home behind; he gives himself to my keeping.

Sailors know my power. They pray to me to call off Yam, to subdue the storm at sea. 

Great generals love my name. Without me there would be no war, no battles. Without me the Pharaoh could not subdue his enemies.

**The Song of Set and Horus**

_On the 26th day of the month Thoth, bound Set opened his mouth to his sister and spoke again:_

Look upon Horus of the Two Horizons, look upon my brother's son. He is splendid to look upon, he recalls the splendour of Osiris. I saw him walking upon the earth, walking in the manner of his father. The people saw him and they called out that Osiris had come to them again. But the look of a thing is not its nature, Horus does not share in the nature of Osiris: to take him is to take counterfeit goods. Osiris was our brother, foremost amongst us. We sprang from one mother, we came from one father. We four were always together, complete in ourselves. Our love was complete, brother to brother, sister to sister, brother and sister combined. There was one nature between us, indissoluble, inextricable, like water in flour for bread. Horus cannot be of the nature of Osiris, he has only the form. Horus is nothing to Osiris, he takes his image like a thief. O you, my sister, who stole the image of Osiris for yourself, who stole it and fashioned a son! Like a thief you created this thing.

I will not embrace him as a brother. I will not welcome him to my heart. He is not my brother Osiris, he is not my beloved brother. Always you desired to set your husband apart. You encouraged him to leave us, you thought he should cleave to you. You said, we are the eldest, we are husband and wife. You said, look down on the youngest, despise their weakness. It is your fault these things happened. And now you have stolen his image, you have given it to this boy who is not one of us. He does not deserve to be the heir of Osiris! You were wrong to keep the things of Osiris for yourself. What happened was all your fault.

I heard the people praising Horus. I heard them praising you, the wife of Osiris, the mother of Horus, the three of you together, and my heart was red with fury.

**The Harp Song of Set**

_On the 26th day of the month Thoth, bound Set opened his mouth to his sister and spoke again:_

Beat, my heart, the rhythm of mourning. 

Gone are the days of my strength.  
Gone are the days of my splendour.

How powerful I was,  
I was exalted above all others.  
I commanded the sea storms, I commanded the sandstorms.

My strength was great.  
No one but me could lift my sceptre.  
All the gods admired my strength.

In those days I was strong.  
In those days I was splendid.  
The powerful walked in my shadow.

Those are the days that have passed,  
They have fled away into the skies, I cannot grasp them.  
The golden past has gone; it is lost, it no longer exists.

I prepared to fight my enemy. I prepared to fight Horus, son of my brother, son of my sister. I prepared to fight Horus, heir of my brother Osiris, heir of the loved one.

Then Horus, Golden Horus, struck me a blow, he cut me with a knife. He bound me so I was helpless, he threw me down upon the ground and he put his knife to me. At once my heart was invaded by fear, fear numbed my mind. The blade sinks deep, like ice, like fire. I laugh in pain. He cuts me and I am helpless, I lie at his feet. He cuts me and I cannot fight, I lie beneath him. I am red with my own blood.

I did not prepare myself for this. I did not think it could happen. Now the stars hide from me. Now all things are ashamed to look upon me. I lie in the mud of the Nile and I am ashamed. 

 


End file.
